ith the body by means of the animal soul. Origen thus
believes in a threefold nature of man. He does so in the first place,
because Plato holds this theory, and Origen always embraced the most
complicated view in matters of tradition, and secondly, because the
rational soul can never in itself be the principle of action opposed to
God, and yet something relatively spiritual must be cited as the cause
of this action. It is true that we also find in Origen the view that the
spirit in man has itself been cooled down into a soul, has been, as it
were, transformed into a soul; but there is necessarily an ambiguity
here, because on the one hand the spirit of man is said to have chosen a
course opposed to God, and, on the other, that which is rational and
free in man must be shown to be something remaining intact.[776] Man's
struggle consists in the endeavour of the two factors forming his
constitution to gain control of his sphere of action. If man conquers in
this struggle he attains _likeness_ to God; the image of God he bears
beyond danger of loss in his indestructible, rational, and therefore
immortal spirit.[777] Victory, however, denotes nothing else than the
subjugation of the instincts and passions.[778] No doubt God affords
help in the struggle, for nothing good is without God,[779] but in such
a way as not to interfere with freedom. According to this conception sin
is a matter of necessity in the case of fallen spirits; all men are met
with as sinners and are so, for they were already sinners.[780] Sin is
rooted in the whole earthly condition of men; it is the weakness and
error of the spirit parted from its origin.[781] The idea of freedom,
indeed, is supposed to be a feature which always preserves the guilty
character of sin; but in truth it becomes a mere appearance,[782] it
does not avail against the constitution of man and the sinful habit
propagated in human society.[783] All must be sinners at first,[784] for
that is as much their destiny as is the doom of death which is a
necessary consequence of man's material nature.[785]

_The Doctrine of Redemption and Restoration._

In the view of Clement and Origen the proposition: "God wishes us to be
saved by means of ourselves" ([Greek: o Theos hemas ex hemon auton
bouletai sozesthai]) is quite as true as the other statement that no
spirit can be saved without entering into fellowship with the Logos and
submitting to his instruction.[786] They moreover hold that t